Beneficial precipitation fell during the month of November across portions of the Plains. Often this time of year, it would’ve come down as snow. While that was the case for some areas, the majority of moisture fell as rain.
One example of the beneficial moisture was several spots in eastern Oklahoma that recorded 10 to 14 inches of rain during the first 25 days of November, according to Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) reports.
The Drought Monitor showed continued spots of improvements by the end of the month (including the above-mentioned eastern Oklahoma) in the Plains as moisture-soaked areas that were previously plagued by drought.
The week of Nov. 10 to 16 saw above average temperatures stretching from the Southern Plains to the Northern Plains. The heat continued to be on for parts of Texas as some in those areas marked record daily highs again during that week. A few examples of this included highs of 93 degrees Fahrenheit in Victoria and Corpus Christi, Texas, on Nov. 10. That same day Brownsville hit 91 degrees, then hit that same mark the next day to mark new record highs both days. McAllen, Texas, had a new record high Nov. 11 of 94 degrees.
In the worldwide view, specific conditions still showed ENSO-neutral. La Niña is still expected to develop sometime this fall. Once it does, it is forecast to continue into the winter and possibly early spring.
Looking ahead into December, temperatures are forecast to average above normal for the Southern Plains into southern Kansas.
The next month will also include below average precipitation for southern Texas.
All of Texas along with a majority of Oklahoma are expected to see precipitation add up to below seasonal norms through February.
The three-month outlook for temperatures also shows those above normal for all of Texas and southern Oklahoma.
For drought conditions, we should see some spotty improvement in the next few months while others will stay stuck in drought.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note: Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She worked as a television meteorologist for nine years in Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX.
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